Somerset Levels Under Threat From Pylons

Yet again the battle between the environment and our insatiable demand for energy has moved to another sensitive part of the British countryside. We already have arguments raging in various parts of the country on the question of wind farms, and it won't be long before the proposed barrage across the River Severn becomes a hot topic.

Now another battle ground has formed over the plans that National Grid has for carrying power between the new Hinkley Point C nuclear power station and Avonmouth.

Although a five mile stretch will be buried underground, under current proposals the majority of the rest of the journey will be by way of overhead pylons right through the middle of this most sensitive of environmental areas.

The National Grid are saying that whereas they feel that the intrusion is unavoidable, they intend using smaller pylons. They are quoted as saying “We are proposing to build an overhead line across the Somerset Levels and Moors... We have chosen the straightest route possible thereby minimising the scale of change to the existing landscape.”

Paul Hipwell, from the campaign group No Moor Pylons, said the fight to protect the countryside has just started.

"We are very frustrated and feel that National Grid has not listened to anything we have said," he said.

"The overwhelming view of everybody is that we want the cables underground and all we have got is a small section through the Mendip Hills.

"There is some very special countryside from Avonmouth to Hinkley and we want to protect all those wonderful areas."

Former cabinet minister Dr. Liam Fox is the local Member of Parliament for North Somerset and has said “The under-grounding of lines across the Mendips is welcome, but nothing is being done to reduce the environmental impact of potentially higher pylons across Tickenham Ridge.”

With different factions within the coalition government having diverse views on the question of wind farms, and strong words exchanged regularly between the relevant supporters of natural or nuclear power, it is hard to imagine a time when this thorny question of providing power without damaging the environment will be out of the headlines.